Moorland to host SFA elite talent centre

Scots-born coach Charlie Jackson is searching for Gordon Strachan’s future stars after the Scottish Football Association launched an elite football talent centre in the heart of the Ribble Valley.

Jackson and coach Paul McGladdery are in charge of the development school at Moorland School, Clitheroe, where Jackson is the head of football development.

Now Moorland is hosting regular sessions for the next generation of players, aged nine to 14, who are eligible to play for Scotland – but who are based in England.

Jackson said: “We’ve had a tremendous response, attracting boys from the academies at Burnley, Preston North End, Leeds United, Wigan Athletic and Accrington Stanley. There’s some terrific talent out there, and as a proud Scotsman, this is an amazing honour for me.”

Scotland’s youth team boss Ricky Sbragia visited Scotland’s new Moorland HQ and said: “The Development Centre at Clitheroe is excellent and I was extremely impressed with the facilities, the coaching and the quality of football on show.”